The February 2016 issue of the Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) newsletter includes stories in these categories:

In the News

U.S. Department of Energy Launches $40 Million Effort to Improve Materials for Clean Energy Solutions

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the launch of its Energy Materials Network (EMN), a new National Laboratory-led initiative that will give American entrepreneurs and manufacturers a leg up in the global race for clean energy. Leveraging $40 million in federal funding, EMN will focus on tackling one of the major barriers to widespread commercialization of clean energy technologies: the design, testing, and production of advanced materials. The network was launched at an event at the White House that was co-sponsored by DOE’s Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the White House National Economic Council. FCTO’s ElectroCat Consortium is included under EMN. It is co-led by Argonne National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Energy Secretary Moniz at the 2016 Washington Auto Show

This video of Energy Secretary Moniz at the 2016 Washington Auto Show describes how the Energy Department played a role in the resurgence of the auto industry by supporting advanced vehicle technologies that boost fuel efficiency and grow America's clean energy economy.

Not Everything that Happens in Vegas Stays There: Hydrogen Generators Go Commercial

DOE-funded projects from as far back as 15 years ago are now making an impact for gas generation and purification company Air Products, as the fuel cell industry takes off. Starting with a project with Air Products Hydrogen Energy Systems group, the City of Las Vegas constructed and now operates the world’s first integrated hydrogen energy station, including on-site production of hydrogen to both fuel vehicles and produce electricity. A critical element of this station was the hydrogen generator developed by Air Products, with hydrogen produced using steam methane reforming.

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Funding Opportunities and Requests for Information

DOE Releases Request for Information on Critical Materials, Including Fuel Cell Platinum Group Metal Catalysts

DOE has released a Request for Information (RFI) on critical materials in the energy sector, including fuel cell platinum group metal catalysts. The RFI is soliciting feedback from industry, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, and other stakeholders on issues related to the demand, supply, opportunities for developing substitutes, and potential for using materials more efficiently in the energy sector.

Updates and future RFI and funding opportunity announcements will be posted on the FCTO's financial opportunities website.

Webinars and Workshops

Upcoming Webinar March 14: DetecTape – A Localized Visual Detector for Hydrogen Leaks

FCTO will present a webinar titled "DetecTape – A Localized Visual Detector for Hydrogen Leaks" on Monday, March 14, from 12 to 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. DetecTape is a color-changing, self-fusing silicone tape designed to detect hydrogen gas leaks in fuel cell, transmission, storage, and generation facilities. Hydrogen equipment operators can use this new visual indicator to quickly identify precise leak locations and initiate maintenance protocols, expediting the restoration of equipment while maintaining a safe workplace. The chemochromic gas detector combines Element One's hydrogen reactive pigment with Midsun Specialty Products’ UV-resistant self-fusing silicone tape. Lab testing reports performed at DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory over the past 13 months are available upon request. Field trials are also underway with several prominent laboratories, facilities, and stations in the hydrogen community. Register for this webinar.

Webinar February 25: 700 bar Compressed Hydrogen Storage System Cost Projection

FCTO presented a live webinar titled "700 bar Compressed Hydrogen Storage System Cost Projection" on Thursday, February 25. Strategic Analysis presented results of its cost analysis of onboard compressed hydrogen storage systems. The hydrogen storage systems analyzed are 700 bar pressure vessels made of a carbon fiber composite wrapped polymer liner (type IV). Strategic Analysis uses a Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) approach to estimate the cost to manufacture type IV hydrogen storage systems. Updates to the 2013 analysis, which serves as a baseline, were presented. The goals of the webinar were to familiarize participants with the DFMA approach, to explain what processes and materials are used to manufacture composite storage vessels, and to discuss the improvements in hydrogen storage systems that have led to cost reductions. See slides of this webinar (recording coming soon).

Visit our website to see webinar archives or workshop presentations.

Studies, Reports, and Publications

Water Consumption for Light-Duty Vehicles' Transportation Fuels Record #16007

FCTO has published Water Consumption for Light-Duty Vehicles' Transportation Fuels Record #16007. The record documents the results of a life-cycle analysis of the amount of surface and ground water retrieved from the source and consumed (i.e., does not include rain water) in the production of transportation fuels for use in light-duty vehicles in the United States, assuming current technology for fuels production, electricity, and vehicles.

Visit our website to access technical information about hydrogen and fuel cells. This information is provided in documents such as technical and project reports, conference proceedings and journal articles, technical presentations, and links to other websites.

National Laboratory and Principal Investigator Achievements

NREL Patents Method for Continuous Monitoring of Materials During Manufacturing

The Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) was recently issued a patent for a novel method that rapidly characterizes specialized materials during the manufacturing process. This approach significantly improves on standard quality control techniques by allowing for complete monitoring of materials without interrupting workflow. More information, including the published patent, can be found at the Energy Innovation Portal.

IChemE Member Listed as "Highly Cited"

THOMSON Reuters has released the 2015 edition of "Highly Cited Researchers" list that includes Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) Associate Member Siti Khatum Kamarudin and approximately 30 other chemical engineers. Kamarudin, deputy director of the Fuel Cell Institute at Universiti Kebangsaan in Malaysia, specializes in the field of hydrogen energy and fuel cells. She has been listed in the top 1% of researchers in the world.